From the Cellar
Thorn-Clarke 2012 Shotfire Quartage
15 Aug 2023- Details
- Category: Uncorked Tonight
Called "Quartage" because it is made from four grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Merlot ... wine was sealed under screw cap. When I opened it the liner stayed on top of the bottle, so I had to pull it off and the wine made a nice little pop.
The Opening ... Poured the wine into the glass: vibrant color, nice red around the edges shows little sign of bricking. Looks young and inviting.
AROMAS ... Smells of white pepper, smoke and spice.
TASTE ... The fruit is hiding, but there is plenty of spice here. There is some subtle blackberry and cassis along with some coffee notes. But that fruit is struggling to come to the forefront.
After 1 hr ... Still very spicy on both the nose and palate ... But the alcohol is starting to show through especially in the mouth. There does not seem to be any kind of oak that is trying to exert it's will, but the spice and alcohol are muscular. The fruit seems to be in the same place it was an hour ago.
After 2 hrs ... It's okay ... That fruit still seems to be struggling to poke through, and that spice is definitely the dominant attribute. Not sure how much more I'm going to taste this evening. I'll look at it again tomorrow.
Opened 24 hrs ...
Waited way too long for the follow up tasting ... This is an absolute mess. Smooth, but it has a port-like sweetness and seems almost syrupy.
Bottom Line ... Drink between the one and two hour mark, maybe there was a better moment between 2 hours and 24 hours, but I have to sleep sometime. This just never came together. Too bad because the younger versions of this are spectacular.
